Tuesday, November 4, 2014

What jealousy does to us

There have been many times in my life in which I have been jealous of other people. In high school, I envied a particular group of girls, and then when I got to know them I realized they were normal teenage girls, just like me, going through the same ups and downs that I was. In college, before I transferred to BC, I was so unbelievably jealous of everyone who loved their university and seemed to be having the "perfect" college experience. It wasn't until I stopped scrolling through what looked like idealistic and "perfect" pictures and started actually having conversations with my friends that I realized some of them were having similar insecurities, and that they too also missed home.

Life after college is when I finally found some form of peace within the torturous jealousy realm. Through my time working as a Resident Assistant I was able to really start to practice what I preach. I relentlessly told my freshman residents that they need to own who they are, be the best version of themselves, and when in doubt "fake it til you make it." I told them how you can't constantly compare yourself to other people, and that oddly enough, there is most likely someone doing the same thing, and wishing they were YOU!

I've learned that constantly being envious of other people causes us pain that at the time we don't even know we're feeling. It forces us to pick ourselves apart and to belittle who we have worked so hard to become. Jealousy brings out the bad in us, and hinders our true strengths from shining bright.

Jealousy can ruin us, but only if we let it.

Want to know how to fix being a jealous person? Admit when you're feeling jealous.

Say it out loud. Acknowledge it and shift your thoughts away from the things you do wrong, and towards the things you do right.

"Perspective, perspective, perspective" as my mom always says! Once you change this you'll find that those constant nagging thoughts of envy will become a thing of the past!

1 comment:

LOVE this , it is a lot of what I was like growing up and recently I have had to have a word with myself about doing this or saying to myself why does she have this or why can't I be like that. It is hard not to compare yourself to others but at the same time it has kept me motivated and try and get to where I want to be, xox